CHAPTER 1 HeartQueen: A Mother Misunderstood
by Misty Masquerade
Summary: This is the first (and rough) chapter of my fanfic. I'm currently working on the second one, but I hope you all appreciate this as an appropriate opening to my story.


_***  
It had been a long day for Regina.  
Contrary to what she had been looking forward to all week, she'd spent only up to midday on horseback, with her supportive father cheering her on at the lining of the paddock. She smiled always, seeing the wind tousle his halo of silver curls as cut through the air, passing him upon Stella's -her mare's- back. It was he who believed that she must be free; to live the life he was only grateful for giving.  
But Regina's mother, Cora, had restricted her horseback activities to only twice a week; claiming that the hobby was unladylike and that she needed to train herself to reach higher standards. Of course Regina argued with the status of these words, and found always that her own voice would be ignored, and if not, silenced completely. Cora had a dark and magic gift, and often used it to irk a surrender out of Regina whenever she so much as opposed her mother's word. It was a nasty deed, but Regina was slowly getting used to it.  
When the day had first awakened, Regina's father had spent the morning setting up several hurdles within the field for practice and Regina had emerged from the farmhouse -fully equipped in her equestrian wear- thinking that she was going to be spending the entire day in bliss, but alas, Daniel the stable boy had soured her mood. All morning, he consistently approached her for silly reasons such as asking if she needed a new saddle, a glass of water, a rest from riding... to the point that his very face irked her; including his ridiculously long hair which reminded her so much of a doll's. Regina was beginning to suspect that her parents were somehow behind his irritating behaviour. Were they secretly encouraging a relationship that was bound to die on the first try? She knew that Daniel had feelings for her, for that much was obvious by the way his almond eyes pathetically lit up to her gaze, and the way he fumbled about with his words as though he were carrying them in a heavy pile and kept dropping them everywhere. But she had never imagined anything past acquaintanceship with him, let alone the prospect of a relationship. It was weird to her, somehow; and made her worry about what Cora would think.  
And it was her mother, who had in-fact ironically rescued her from the situation.  
Daniel, who had nothing else better to do with his time, began up the hill to spark another pointless conversation with Regina. But at his side was Cora, who kept her eye well trained on him as though he harboured an awful odour. There was a sneer about her face; one that said "how dare you walk soil that doesn't belong to you". She was poised as usual, one hand holding her other wrist and dressed elegantly in a flowing deep green cloak."That's quite enough," she'd said. "I asked you to clean your room and look for a lovely dress to wear to dinner."  
Normally she would protest, but Regina could only smiled with relief. She'd wanted to ride for longer, but she also knew that disobeying her powerful mother would leave consequences following in her shadow. She was still grateful for the chance to escape the clutches of this annoying stable boy, who gazed at her in disappointment."Yes Mother," she'd said, drawing her gaze shyly along the short-bladed grass. Regina was a stubborn and rebellious girl; yet Cora's radiance was somehow soothing to her. It made her look up to her too, in a sense. Regina was always being told she dressed and rode too much like a man, that she wasn't living up to the beauty she'd been blessed with._

And now she laid in bed alone, dark sky peeking from between an open slit in the curtains. What time was it? Midnight?... possibly. The air was too rich with the perfume of a long-gone day, the stars too bright for the day to be reborn. She drew the blankets more tightly around her frame, which did no justice to her rigid and cold figure. With a sigh she threw the useless sheets away from her body, and slid out of bed. The wooden floor was strikingly cold and she drew in a sharp breath. She left her room and padded down the hallway. Where was she going? Perhaps to the kitchen for a glass of milk. But instead, she stopped at the door to the master bedroom. The door was ajar, and she felt an irking sensation pass through her chest like the buzz of a bee. Maybe she just needed some company; and that was something her parents never discouraged. She pushed the door open gently, which emitted a whiny squeak from the hinges. Wincing, she slid past the door with ease and into the warm room. Her silk nightgown felt heavy around her legs as she tiptoed towards the bed... which was empty on her father's side. Then she remembered he was often out at night, cleaning the stables or talking with Daniel; whom she was so sure was being fed ideas by her father about the two of them getting together. No wonder that lousy stable rat was so hopeful! Well, it wasn't going to happen. She was unaware that her mother was awake; and without bearing a second longer exposed to the air, she climbed into the bed and slipped the silk sheets over her body. Her head sank with ease into the empty pillow, and she turned onto her back to trace the boards of the ceiling before her. Even in silence, being with her mother was bliss; and at once she was even more comfortable than she had ever been in her own bed. 


End file.
